Playskool Crayons Contain Toxic Levels of Asbestos

posted by Deanna King -

Aug 8, 2018

According to a new report, crayons from the Dollar Tree tested positive asbestos. The Playskool brand contained trace amounts of asbestos fibers — a substance that can cause breathing difficulties and cancer if inhaled. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommended that parents avoid asbestos-containing brands as a precaution because kids sometimes eat crayons.

A handful of other products that U.S. PIRG tested also contained dangerous chemicals, according to the organization’s just released back-to-school report.

Blue three-ring binders made by Jot and sold at Dollar Tree tested positive for phthalates, a substance linked with asthma, obesity and lower-IQ scores, for instance.

Dry erase markers made by Expo and The Board Dudes tested positive for carcinogenic BTEX chemicals, such as benzene, xylene, and toluene.

Additionally, two types of children’s water bottles were previously recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission for containing lead — Reduce Hydro Pro Furry Friends water bottle, sold at Costco and Amazon, and GSI Outdoors Children’s Water Bottles, sold at L.L. Bean. Despite the recall, a CBS New reporter was able to order the Hydro Pro Furry Friends product from Costco online. A Costco spokesman failed to return a reporter’s phone calls.